


All in Time

by starsailor96



Category: Ratchet & Clank
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:54:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28165098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsailor96/pseuds/starsailor96
Summary: After the events of A Crack in Time, Ratchet and Clank go back to their home on Kerwan.  But Ratchet is not the same as he once was.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	All in Time

Creeeeeak….

Ratchet looked up from the ground, realizing he was clutching his wrench tightly.  
“I will oil that in the morning,” Clank said, looking at the squeaky hinge.  
Ratchet nodded and stepped inside, glad to get out of the pouring rain. He hadn’t realized he was so cold. Well, they were back. Back in Solana, back on Kerwan. It hadn’t changed. Then why did it feel so weird being home? Clank was still with him, and nothing was out of place. At least, nothing wasn’t out of place from where Ratchet had left it. Maybe it was just…that Solana wasn’t Polaris.   
“Go and get dried off, Ratchet,” Clank advised. “I do not want you to catch a chill.”  
Ratchet placed the omniwrench beside the door, wincing as he felt a slight cramp shoot through his hand. He opened and closed it a few times as he headed to his bedroom to find some dry clothes. Part of him wanted to stay outside in the rain, but he’d be far too cold and uncomfortable. Besides, it was a crazy thought, walking around in the dark on his own for absolutely no reason. The citizens of Kerwan would think he’d hit his head during the last mission. Drowsy and agitated, he probably looked concussed already. Ratchet sighed softly as he pulled the watch out of his pocket. Opening it sent another wave of pain through his chest. He’d seen Alister’s face in his dream on the way back. That was all he remembered. It was all he needed to remember to feel his throat close up.

“Ratchet?”  
Thinking fast, Ratchet snapped the watch shut and placed it on his bedside table. After hurriedly pulling on a dry t-shirt and pair of shorts, he went out to see what his friend needed. He didn’t understand why he was hiding his actions from Clank. After all, Clank probably knew what the dream was about, even though Ratchet couldn’t tell him.  
“Would you like a hot drink?” Clank asked from the kitchen.  
“Yeah.” Ratchet dropped down onto the sofa, cringing as he remembered how much his muscles ached. He turned to look at his friend. “Clank?”  
“Yes, Ratchet?”  
“I ran into a few asteroids on the way back. Are you okay?”  
Clank smiled. “I am alright. Thank you, Ratchet.”  
Ratchet smiled, and leaned back as Clank continued working. Trying not to fall asleep, he stared out the window. It had been years since he’d left his home planet Veldin for the first time, but rain still felt different, and weirdly out of place. He remembered when they had relocated. It had been an adjustment process for Ratchet, probably because lombaxes were more inclined to desert climates. Ratchet gave a slight start and sat up. This was ridiculous. Was he going to feel pain in his chest, or a strike of fear every time he so much as thought about the lombaxes? Everything was _fine_. Time was restored, Clank was with him, the lombaxes were safe in their dimension, everything was _fine!_  
Clank reappeared with a mug of tea. “I propose we wind down for a while before going to bed.”  
Ratchet released the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Good idea.”

What was the plot of this show anyway? Who were these people, and what were they doing? It seemed to be different every minute. Ratchet decided he could live without the late-late-night holoprograms. He stretched out his tight, aching body and looked over at Clank. His friend was absorbed in a book. “Whatcha reading?”  
Clank looked up. “Advanced Properties of Hover Vehicles. I must learn to keep up with you.” He laughed.  
Ratchet turned back to the holoscreen, smirking. “That reminds me. I should look at the hoverbike plans tomorrow.” Heck, it probably _was_ tomorrow. And he was getting pretty bored. Doing something sounded like a good idea. “Actually…I could go take a look right now.”  
“The storm is not over. I would avoid going outside.”  
“Oh yeah.” Ratchet decided something right then and there: this weather was a huge nuisance!  
“Besides, we should sleep soon.” Clank closed the book. “We have a big day ahead of us.”  
Ratchet tensed. “I’m fine, Clank. I’m not tired. And what ‘big day’ do we have? We’re not going to another event, are we?”  
“No, no!” Clank sounded startled. “The fridge needs to be cleaned. As a matter of fact, the whole place could do with a good clean. We must have several thousand holomessages, and then there is the matter of going shopping for food.”  
“Not much of a big day then.” Ratchet relaxed. He was too tired for events and such. And if anyone else needed saving…he didn’t want to think about it. “Maybe I should try and convert our fridge to self-cleaning, it’d make it easier on us.”  
“Our refrigerator is fine as it is.”  
“Things can always be improved on.” Ratchet laid down, staring blindly at the holoscreen. Maybe Clank was right…there was a lot to do. The VG9000 had to be looked over, and he’d been meaning to fix the computer system bugs in the workshop. Come to think of it, he could probably find a bunch of things in the workshop that needed fixing. Now that they were back, he had the time. How much could he do? How much…could he repair? What could…what could he improve on? What could he…fix…?

BANG!

Ratchet gasped and sat up. Heart pounding, he reached for his blaster before he realized he’d been dreaming again. The holoscreen was still on low, and the storm outside had slowed. All it had been was distant thunder. One would think a galactic hero would know the difference between a thunderclap and an actual threat. Ratchet noticed Clank wasn’t in his chair, all that was left was a pile of books. He looked around frantically before realizing Clank was leaning against him, out cold.

It had seemed like he’d just closed his eyes for a second, but the clock told him it was after 5am. Even with the holoscreen on it was too quiet, but he didn’t want to wake Clank. So, Ratchet turned it off and sneaked out to the workshop behind the house. The rain wasn’t so bad anymore, and the lightning had ceased. He turned on the workshop holovision before starting an inventory of stuff to fix after the hoverbike. Whatever he needed, he could order from Gadgetron. Thunder rumbled gently, and some TV comedian started his routine as Ratchet got to work looking over the hoverbike plans. It would be a big job. And…it might be kind of fun. Why just repair the bike when he could make improvements along the way? He was wide awake, and he was in the zone, writing down everything that needed to be fixed. Might as well make the most of it, he decided. There was nothing pressing, there was nothing that would derail him. Yes…he might as well make the most of it.

***

“Mmmm…Clank, shut the curtains, it’s too early.” Ratchet sat up, slowly remembering he was in the workshop…mostly because of the pain in his back from passing out on the desk. He opened his eyes and tried to focus on the writing underneath him. What had he been doing out here?  
“Good morning, Ratchet. Or rather, good afternoon.”  
As Ratchet turned to face his friend, a blanket slid off his shoulders.  
Clank smiled as he left the tablet on the sofa and stood up. “I see that you have been busy.”  
Ratchet yawned and looked over the old hoverbike schematics. “What time is it?”  
“Around two-thirty.” Clank hopped off the sofa and hovered up onto the desk. “I wanted to let you sleep. I have been going over our holomessages. So far there is nothing urgent.”  
Ratchet cocked his head to one side. He’d slept so well. Maybe this was temporary, having bad dreams. Maybe being back in Solana was working already. A strange and vivid feeling lingered, but he hadn’t woken up gasping for air this time. As a matter of fact, he hadn’t even remembered falling asleep.  
“Now, how about some breakfast?”  
Ratchet smirked. “Sure, what have we got in the fridge?”  
“Oh, dear.” Clank looked sad. “I do believe I forgot about cleaning the refrigerator.”  
Ratchet smiled warmly at Clank. “It’s okay. I’ve got my hoverboard, I’ll head to the coffee shop. It won’t be crowded this time of day.”  
“I will attend to the fridge. Perhaps we can look at the hoverbike together when you return.”  
“Sounds good. I have to order some stuff from Gadgetron first though.”  
“We should also contact President Phyronix.”  
Ratchet tensed.   
“He will want to know that we are back in Solana.”  
“You handle that, let me…let me know if he says anything important. I gotta go, I’m starving.” Ratchet grabbed the hoverboard and hurried outside. His heart was pounding again, just when he thought everything was okay. What were the odds the president had a mission for them? They were low, right? There wouldn’t be anything new so soon. Would there?

Ratchet swerved to avoid a crowd of startled people. He pulled over and stopped behind a tree, breathing hard. But he had to take off quickly before someone noticed him. Cool it, he told himself angrily. One mention of a mission and he almost lost his mind! Usually there were months between missions. Villains seemingly needed a lot of time to plot. There wouldn’t be anything so soon, he was becoming more convinced. The only mission he had for now was to buy breakfast and get back home.

Ratchet was back at the house within an hour. It wasn’t long before he finished the hoverbike plans. It had been a productive day. Things were starting to go back to normal. He went to the living room to start the Gadgetron order. Ratchet felt his stomach turn as he sat down. How had he managed to eat so many donuts? And how could he have been so stupid to only get one coffee? As he was thinking, the order loaded. Something was off. “You gotta be kidding me!”  
Clank looked up from the tablet.   
“How does Gadgetron run out of this many products?”  
“They are a popular company.”  
Ratchet shook his head, glaring at the holoscreen above him. He put his headset on, typed something into the tablet, and started up a chat. “Yeah, hi, you guys are out of 793H circuit boards? And raritanium welders? _And_ the largest washers?” Ratchet paused and facepalmed. “I know, but when? Seriously?!”  
Clank stood up and walked over to Ratchet.  
“How do you manage to run out of circuit boards, _and_ XS337 washers at the same time?! What kind of operation are you guys running? Have you forgotten how important to the building process they are?!” Ratchet groaned. “Just complete my order, and ship it to me as soon as possible.” He dropped the call and closed the computer, clenched his fists, then leaned back and closed his eyes.  
Clank stared up at Ratchet. “Are you alright?”  
“Yeah.” Ratchet stood up.  
Clank continued to look at him.  
“I’m going to do another inventory. See if I can work around Gadgetron’s stupidity,” Ratchet muttered as he made his way to the garage.

What an unnecessary roadblock! Ratchet sat at his desk and looked at the inventory list again. But now he couldn’t focus. In desperation, he went back to the schematics and tried to find things to improve. It didn’t help much. This was all Gadgetron’s fault! He slammed his fist on the table. If they had just bothered to restock the parts he needed, he wouldn’t be in this situation! All he wanted to do was focus on fixing the hoverbike, was that too much to ask?! Ratchet stood up and paced the workshop. He felt like going to Gadgetron’s office building and hitting every single one of them with his wrench. And now he couldn’t even give it up and go shopping because he couldn’t take the groceries home on the hoverboard! 

Ratchet took a deep breath, and laid down on the floor. He stared up through the skylight waiting for his anger to ebb. As he laid there, he remembered when Clank had built the workshop with him. Sure, they’d had a few disagreements and mishaps, but they’d had a lot of fun too. Sitting on the roof and eating pizza after they’d finished had been the perfect celebration. Ratchet smiled to himself. Just days after the building was done, they’d filled the inside with a few pieces of furniture, a mini-fridge, and some books Clank had picked out. They’d been so…happy to begin a new chapter of their lives on Kerwan. Everything would be like that again, he told himself. Everything would be fine as soon as he could get the parts he needed. Everything would be fine as soon as he could continue building. All he had to do was think about his next steps. Brainstorm one more time, he told himself. Brainstorm one more time…. Brainstorm one…more time….

***

It happened again. Clearly he hadn’t had enough caffeine. Ratchet opened his eyes, squinting at the brightness. “Lights,” he muttered groggily. The computer turned off the workshop lights, and he was able to see the dark sky. It was probably too late to keep working on the bike, he thought as he stared drowsily through the skylight. Not to mention it was raining again, as if it hadn’t rained on and off enough lately. Whatever, he didn’t really want to get up anyway. Ratchet had dreamed again. It was deep, he felt like he’d been living that one for real. He was flying through space in Aphelion. Everything had been fine until…Alister had radioed him. Ratchet’s chest felt heavy, so he closed his eyes for a few seconds, trying to think of anything else. It must have been hours since he went out to the workshop. Clank would probably be wondering where he was, so Ratchet pulled himself up off the floor and walked to the house.

“Oh, hello, Ratchet,” Clank said, stopping on the path. “It is quite late. I was just about to come and check on you. How are your plans coming?”  
“Fine, I guess.” Ratchet continued on without stopping. The rain was cold, it made him uncomfortable.  
“Tomorrow, I should think a shopping trip is in order – if you are able.”  
“I’m able alright. I’ll finish the hoverbike soon. Time just…got away from me today.”  
Clank smiled. “For tonight’s dinner, we should be able to ‘wing it’, as you would say.”  
“I’m not that hungry, Clank. I’ll order something later.”  
Clank looked up at Ratchet. “Are you feeling alright?”  
“Just tired.” It was the only explanation he could think of.  
Clank stood in front of Ratchet, stopping him. “Then I must insist you go and lie down. Perhaps you will feel better in the morning.”  
“Yeah. Maybe.” Ratchet couldn’t get out of this one. It might help…but he doubted it.

The room was just as he’d left it, complete with yesterday’s clothes still on the floor. Ratchet dropped down onto the bed. Maybe he could knock himself out going over some more things to fix. And if that failed, maybe he could knock himself out with sleeping pills. Either way, knocking himself out sure sounded better than being awake right now. There had to be some way to get himself back to sleep. What had he been doing? Nothing. He’d been doing nothing. But doing nothing wasn’t going to work this time. It wasn’t too quiet. The sounds of Kerwan’s traffic provided some background noise. Maybe now he could think logically. He could think about how he was going to fix something…. All he had to do was focus…. All he had…all he had to…do was….

“RATCHET!”

Ratchet fell out of bed, banging his head on the side table. His throat was burning, and his heart was racing. He was shaking uncontrollably and breathing hard.   
Clank hopped down from the bedside table. “Are you hurt?”  
All Ratchet could do was shake his head.  
“That was the worst one yet.”  
The room slowly came into focus. Ratchet was able to pull himself up slowly, unable to shake the images of his nightmare.  
“Are you alright?”  
“I’m fine. I need some air.” Ratchet stumbled around, tripping over the bed and bumping into the door.  
“Ratchet-”  
“I said I’m fine!” Ratchet willed himself from the room, trying to find his way. It would have been a lot easier if he could breathe. As soon as he reached the door, he bolted outside, but tripped on the way out. Ratchet grunted in pain as he pulled himself off the ground and ran out into the night.

The city’s lights glowed, as if to calm him. This was what he had wanted. No more darkness, no more silence. He wasn’t alone, not at all. Ratchet was awake. Awake, and aware. If not for his aching wrist he wouldn’t have thought everything that had happened back at home was real. Why had he acted like that? Maybe he’d been sleepwalking. Maybe…the nightmare had made him sleepwalk, that was the only conclusion he had come to. Staying out of the way from the citizens of Aleero City, Ratchet walked aimlessly. He didn’t care how wet he got. In fact, he realized he wanted to get soaked. He wanted to get cold. If only he could shake the shadows of the nightmare. If only he could stop the nightmares entirely. If only.

The sunrise lit up the sky as he arrived back at the house. He looked into the window. Clank was staring intently at the tablet, sitting on the sofa. Ratchet sighed. His friend looked distressed. No doubt Clank would freak out upon seeing him. No doubt Clank would want to talk about it, Ratchet thought as his heart rate sped up. He leaned against the wall, preparing himself for the inevitable outburst. But when Ratchet finally gathered the courage to walk in, Clank simply hopped off the sofa and handed Ratchet a towel. Ratchet shivered as he wrapped it around himself. He hadn’t realized just how cold he was until that very moment.  
“You are chilled. Go and get warm, Ratchet.”  
“I’m sorry,” Ratchet said softly.  
“Do not worry. You needed some space.”   
Ratchet winced as he moved his hand. He’d almost forgotten how much it hurt.  
Clank noticed. “Let me take a look at that.” He sat Ratchet down and examined his wrist. “It does not look too serious. Only a mild sprain, I think.”   
Ratchet watched passively as Clank found some nanotech for him.  
“That is better. Would you like something to eat?”  
“Nah, I’ll get something later.” Ratchet opened and closed his hand a few times and rotated his wrist. “I’m gonna go out to the workshop.”  
“Okay then. Let me know if you need anything.”  
Ratchet turned to go, but stopped by the door. He turned to look at Clank. “I think the hoverbike will be finished today. We can go shopping, and maybe go for a ride around Kerwan.”  
Clank smiled. “That sounds like fun.”  
Ratchet smiled slightly and went to the workshop.

As soon as he could get to work on something, he’d feel better. Ratchet switched on the holoscreen and got started. It was a good thing the rain had stopped. A few more parts in place, and the hoverbike was ready. He decided against going out for a spin. He could do that later, with Clank. After eating a protein bar from the fridge, Ratchet decided he needed something else to do. He changed the thermal paste in the VG9000, then hooked up the console to a secondary screen and started adding some mods. As he was wondering if he could convert all their games to digital only, the door opening made him jump.  
“My apologies, Ratchet,” Clank said as he entered the workshop.  
Ratchet breathed a sigh of relief. “Don’t do that!” He stood up and placed the controller on the desk. “Is everything okay?”  
“I was wondering how you were doing.”  
“Good,” Ratchet said, somewhat unconvincingly. “Bike’s almost done. I just needed a break.”  
“I understand. Will you be ready in a half hour?”  
The thought turned Ratchet’s stomach. But he had to go. “Yeah. No problem.” He turned back to the console. His heart was racing. It wasn’t a mission, he reminded himself. It _wasn’t_ a mission, it was groceries. Just simple, straightforward groceries in a simple, straightforward store with simple, straightforward…people. Ratchet placed his screwdriver down and rested his head in his hands. When he heard Clank come back, Ratchet took a deep breath and headed outside.

“It is shaking an awful lot,” Clank observed as Ratchet started up the bike.  
“Probably just getting going.” Ratchet looked under the bike. Everything seemed in order. He’d just finished it that morning, so there shouldn’t have been any damage.  
“There is steam coming from behind it.”  
Ratchet groaned and stood up. “Can’t we go a whole day without something going wrong?!” He shut off the bike and looked it over again. “Great,” he snapped. “I can’t see the problem! What happened?! Clank, did you change any of the settings?”  
Clank shook his head. “I have not touched the hoverbike at all.”  
“Of course,” Ratchet said with disdain. “That means it’s something I did.” He slammed his fist onto the seat and thought for a second. “I’ll try again. We’ll have to go grocery shopping another day.”  
“If you cannot fix it yourself-”  
“I’m _fine_ , Clank. It needs fixing and I’m gonna fix it!” Ratchet pushed the bike into the workshop.  
“It is alright to need help. You do not need to push yourself so hard.”  
“I can do it, okay?” Once the bike was back in the workshop, he got set stripping it of its parts, checking how severe the damage was. The bike was burning hot, much like Ratchet’s chest. He checked the plans again. Why couldn’t he find where this part went? What was wrong with him? He was usually faster than this.  
Clank looked the plans over while Ratchet tampered with the bike. “I believe I see the problem. Section A should be labeled as Section C, and Section D has the wrong kind of washer. Section F states-”  
“Clank, I can’t think with you talking to me,” Ratchet snapped. “I’ll let you know when I’m done, just _please_ leave me alone for a few minutes.”  
Clank stepped back. “Alright,” he said softly.  
Ratchet’s jaw clenched. His body tensed. He was breathing fast and hard. Every bit of the plans all looked the same. Everything looked impossible. Of _course_ he couldn’t understand it. _Of course_ he couldn’t understand it. _No one would let him focus!_ “Oh, SHUT UP!” he yelled at the holoscreen, throwing the remote at it. The crash only made him more agitated. Ratchet sat down, trying to steady his breathing. He looked up…Clank was gone. Everything was…okay. Everything…would be okay. As long as he stayed in here, as long as he got the bike fixed, as long as his hands stopped shaking, everything would be okay.

Ratchet was unaware of the hours passing. When he realized it was dark, he hurried to get inside, even though he didn’t have the bike ready. Clank would probably come out and find him soon if he didn’t move fast. Using his swingshot, Ratchet boosted himself up to his bedroom window. Silently, he crept to his bed. The room was empty…he couldn’t even hear Clank moving about the house. Ratchet laid down and listened. The silence was deafening. The darkness surrounded him, swallowed him. It felt like a Wargrok was sitting on his chest. He closed his eyes tightly. How would he get through the night? No. He had to get through the night. He had to get through the night. He had to get through the night. He had to get through….  


Ratchet sat bolt upright. He listened intently. All he could hear was his heart pounding…and the pouring rain, and roaring wind. There were no sounds coming from inside the house. He couldn’t see Clank anywhere. Clank was…gone? Had Clank really left? Ratchet would deserve as much, talking to Clank the way he had earlier. The wind pounded against the house. He looked around in the dark, his mouth dry and his body growing hot. Unable to take it anymore, he grabbed his flashlight. Shining it around the room revealed that Clank definitely wasn’t there. Clank…was gone. The thoughts returned without his approval.

_“NO!”_

_“Ratchet!”  
The Aphelion swerved before Ratchet regained control. He looked around, breathing hard. Space…they were in space…coming from Polaris…where Alister was buried.  
“You look like you have seen a ghost.”  
Ratchet stayed silent, trying to slow his heartbeat. It was just a dream, but in a way, Clank was right. Maybe he had been too tired to drive after all. Maybe they should have stayed at Apogee Station one more night. The thought hurt his chest even more.  
“Perhaps we should stop somewhere and rest. It is not safe to be driving like this.”  
“No,” Ratchet said softly. His throat hurt. “I’m awake now.” Polaris seemed so far away all of a sudden. Part of Ratchet felt as if he’d escaped a warzone, even though the war was long over. But leaving Alister behind…that was hard. The elder lombax should have been with them, flying alongside the duo.  
“Do you want to talk about it?”  
Ratchet shook his head.  
Clank nodded and leaned back.  
Ratchet sat up straight and rubbed his head, trying to stop thinking. He watched intently as they approached Kerwan. “Clank?”  
“Yes, Ratchet?”  
“I…” Ratchet’s throat felt tight. He breathed deeply and landed the ship. “I’m glad you’re here.”  
Clank turned toward his friend. “I am glad to be here.”_

Ratchet glanced at the watch, sitting closed on the bedside table. His chest was starting to hurt, and he knew he couldn’t stay in bed any longer. If he could go to the workshop, do some upgrades, then he’d be okay. But he felt so much worse. He felt so much worse than all the other times he’d had bad dreams. Ratchet didn’t want to work, his chest was burning too much. He threw the covers off and pushed himself out of bed, trying to go somewhere, _anywhere_ , and _stop_ _thinking_. Everything was fine, he told himself, trying to slow the mounting anger. Clank couldn’t stay away forever. When he came back, everything would be okay. Ratchet ended up in the living room. He staggered to the window and sat on the floor in front of it, then curled himself up staring at nothing. The feeling would pass, he’d be okay if he just sat for a second. Everything was fine, he was fine, everything was going to be fine. Why was he shaking? Everything was _going to be fine_. Why was his throat closing? _Everything was going to be fine_. Why couldn’t he breathe? _Everything was going to be fine!_ Did he need to get out? Did he need to get out of the house? Ratchet knocked his head against the window. That didn’t do anything. He did it again. That didn’t fix it. He did it again. It wasn’t fine. Harder. Harder. Harder. It wasn’t fine. It _wasn’t fine_. Clank was **gone**. It _wasn’t_ _fine_. Clank was **_gone_**! **Clank was gone!**

“Ratchet! Stop!”  
Ratchet fell backward and hit the floor. He blinked and looked up, finally seeing what was in front of him. Clank was perched on his chest, gripping him tightly, staring at Ratchet with a worried look on his face.  
“Do not be scared.” Clank’s voice was unsteady. “You are not alone. You are safe.”  
Ratchet’s whole body gave out. He felt his chest clench, he felt his face grow hot, he felt his eyes water. The next thing he knew, he was sobbing uncontrollably.   
Clank sat down on the floor. He placed his hand on Ratchet’s head.  
“Wh-at’s wrong w-ith me?”  
“My sensors indicate…nothing. It is normal. It is all normal.”  
Ratchet felt like his chest was being ripped apart. He couldn’t get off the floor. He could barely move as it was.  
“Do you need anything?” Clank asked gently.  
“No! Don’t go, Clank. Please, don’t go!”   
“I will stay right here.”  
“I’m sorry!” Ratchet wailed. “I’m so sorry!”  
“I will not leave you, Ratchet. I will not leave you.”  
Ratchet’s intense bout of crying was over quickly. He was in control again. He sniffed and sat up, rubbing his eyes. The panic was gone, and he realized there was a knot in his stomach. His head hurt, his chest hurt…there must have been _something_ wrong with him.  
“You are allowed to grieve. This is all part of the process.” Clank removed his hand from Ratchet’s head and stood up. “Come with me. We should try and sleep now.”  
Ratchet hung his head. “I can’t, pal. I’ve tried everything. I can’t sleep unless I pass out.”  
“Is there anything we could do to make you more comfortable?”  
Ratchet shrugged.  
“Come here,” Clank said, gesturing to the sofa. “Sit down, and talk to me.”  
Ratchet stood up, crossed the room, and sat on the sofa.  
“Take your time. Tell me anything you want to.”  
Ratchet leaned forward and closed his eyes. “Every time I try to sleep…I see his face.”  
Clank stayed silent.  
“I feel…I feel like I can’t do anything right anymore.” Ratchet shook his head. “I’m the worst hero ever. I’m the worst friend ever.”  
“No you are not,” Clank said, a little sharply. “What we have been through has been hard on you. You are not yourself right now, and no one expects you to be.”  
Ratchet sighed. “I don’t know what to do, Clank. I just want things to go back to normal. You and me, hanging out, building, fixing, having fun….” The pain started again. Ratchet’s voice shuddered as he asked, “We were happy…right?”  
“And we will be again. When we get through it, we will be happy again.”  
Ratchet broke down. “What if I never get through it?”  
Clank stood up on Ratchet’s legs, hugging him tightly.  
Ratchet slowly laid on his side, wrapping his arms around Clank. He buried his face into a soft pillow, crying softly.  
“I will not cease to help you,” Clank reassured him. “No matter what.”  
“My chest hurts, Clank,” Ratchet whispered.  
Clank buried his face into Ratchet’s shirt.

  
When Ratchet opened his eyes, there was nothing wrong anymore. Of course, it was probably temporary, that didn’t bother him right now. The sofa was soft and warm. The harsh, foreboding weather was outside and away from him. Away from him and… “Clank?”  
“Yes, Ratchet?”  
“I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I’m sorry.”  
“I know you are hurt. I promise, I do understand, I…. I have been experiencing a few bad dreams as well.”  
Ratchet hugged Clank tight. “Why didn’t you tell me?”  
“I knew what you had been through,” Clank said softly. “I did not want to make things harder for you.”  
“I should have noticed.” Ratchet closed his eyes again. “I don’t know what happened to me. I’m so selfish all the time.”  
“You are hurt, not selfish. There is no way you could have known. You must understand that.”  
Ratchet sat up and looked at Clank. “Are you okay?”  
“It is…not easy,” Clank said, sitting beside Ratchet. “But we are together again. We can rely on each other.”  
“Yeah.” Ratchet looked at the windows. Had Clank not found him, he’d probably still be sitting there. “I will do all I can to help you,” Clank said. “I will not force you to lie down. What do you want to do, right now?”  
“Go out to the workshop, I guess. I know I’ve been doing that a lot lately, but…sometimes I don’t want to leave.”  
Clank smiled. “Then to the workshop we will go. There is a sofa in there, am I correct?”  
“Yeah, we put a sofa-bed in before we left.” Ratchet stood up and followed Clank outside. Heavy rain hit his face immediately. “Are you saying I should sleep in the workshop?”  
“We will take it slow. If you want to study schematics, do so. If you are feeling unsettled, talk to me. You will have everything you need close at hand, and you can fall asleep if you so desire.”  
Ratchet looked at the ground and nodded.   
“There is nothing wrong with doing things a little differently,” Clank assured him.  
“I know.” Ratchet pushed the door open. “But I can’t do it forever.”  
“You will not need to do it forever. Give it a chance, and you will see.” Clank scanned the bookshelf. “Remember, you do not have to fix everything in one night. And that goes for gadgets, as well as bad dreams.”  
“I guess I’ll check the hoverbike plans again.” Ratchet picked up a broom and swept the broken holoscreen parts into the corner before he pulled the sofa-bed out. “I hope this works.”  
Clank paused and looked up at Ratchet. “From what I have seen this week, I think it will.”

The rain fell harder, and thunder rumbled lightly in the distance. Ratchet lost all awareness of time after he placed the plans on the floor and watched the clouded sunrise. Drowsiness was beginning to overcome him. He briefly wondered if he’d taken sleeping pills and couldn’t remember. Before he dozed off, he rolled over and looked at his friend. Clank was leaning against the arm of the sofa, asleep with the tablet in front of him. Ratchet smiled, stretched out, and closed his eyes.

***

Clank had moved next to him sometime during the night. Ratchet smiled as he looked at his friend, half-leaning on his shoulder. This had to be the first time he’d awakened before Clank. The sun was shining, and Ratchet was famished. Today absolutely had to be the day they’d get that hoverbike finished. They’d never be able to go grocery shopping otherwise. Ratchet’s face fell as he stared up out of the skylight. The thought sounded terrible. If only he could stay in here. But all that shopping was probably too much for Clank to do on his own, especially if he hadn’t gotten much sleep. Careful not to disturb his friend, Ratchet sat up and looked around. He leaned against the arm of the sofa, resting his chin in his hand. Thinking of last night made his chest hurt again. He didn’t remember dreaming, but he probably had. Slowly, Ratchet pushed the blankets off and stood up. He paced the workshop. Where would he go from here? He sat down at the desk and looked out the window. 

“Good morning, Ratchet.”  
Ratchet turned around. “Hey, Clank. Sleep well?”  
“Yes. How about you?”  
“Fine.”  
Clank looked worried. “You seem upset. Are you alright?”  
Ratchet turned back to the desk, leaning on it. “I just don’t know where to start.”  
Clank hopped off the sofa and hovered up to the desk. He sat with Ratchet, looking out the window. “I think I do.”  
Ratchet looked at Clank.  
“First, I urge you to order something to eat. Then we will get to work on the bike. Please, allow me to assist you. If we have time, we can start on the holoscreen repairs. That should take us to dinnertime.”  
“But that’s not everything we have to do.” Ratchet frowned and shook his head. The tightness in his chest didn’t cease. “We have to go shopping, and we have to answer the holomessages, and….” He rubbed his head. The world seemed to be spinning, but he was unsure of whether it was from anxiety or hunger.  
“I remember. But we do not have to handle those things right now. Remember what I said last night.”  
Ratchet stayed silent.  
“One step at a time. The most urgent task is the hoverbike repair. I believe we have the parts we need here in the workshop. We do not have to rebuild it in one day. We can worry about shopping for food when the bike is complete.”  
Ratchet relaxed. Clank did have a point. “I’m…I’m really going to need your help today.”  
“I would not have it any other way.”  
Ratchet stood up and retrieved the plans. “We’d better get started. What did I do wrong?”  
Clank stared at the writing. “Sections A and C are switched. You order breakfast and then check this one, I will handle the other.”

  
Ratchet couldn’t believe he’d made so many mathematical errors when he was rewriting the plans. After a long period of quiet, he glanced up at Clank. His friend was staring intently at the schematic, making corrections every few seconds. Ratchet looked back down at the section, trying to find more errors. It was like there was some blockage in his brain, he decided as he leaned against the wall. What was the problem now? He’d eaten, he was working, there was nothing more he could do for himself. Ratchet closed his eyes. How would he ever concentrate? Even when everything felt wrong, he had still been able to build things. But then again…he hadn’t, had he? The bike was seriously messed up because he didn’t know what he was doing. Maybe he was more messed up than the bike.

“I believe I have this section in order,” Clank said. “How are you doing?”  
“I don’t know,” Ratchet muttered, keeping his eyes shut.  
Clank walked over. “Maybe you need a break.”  
Ratchet stayed silent.  
“Do you want to talk?”  
“No.”  
“Okay. I will walk you through the changes I made.”  
Ratchet stayed motionless, but he heard Clank move closer to him and sit at his side.  
“You do not have to talk. Just listen. I improved the output while maintaining the current energy usage. The rest of the fixes were relatively simple, but I also thought of a new way to activate and deactivate the nav function.”  
Ratchet opened his eyes and looked at Clank.  
“This is a good plan, at its core. All we needed to do was improve upon a few things, and we have a fully working machine.”  
Ratchet tilted his head and looked at the plan segment. Clank had probably corrected everything.   
“I like your thinking in this part. We should apply the same technology to your hoverboard someday.”  
This was helping. Ratchet felt…better. Sort of. He tried not to worry about all the errors he’d made days ago. Right now, he was planning. Building. And it was all he needed. “Can you help me with this section, Clank?”

They were at it for several hours. By the time Ratchet got off the floor and stretched, it was sunset.   
“We are almost there,” Clank said. “But I suggest we stop now. We should at least work on something else.”  
“Maybe we should try to have some fun now.” Ratchet glanced at the VG9000. “Come on. I dare you to kick my butt in that new game we got.”  
“That should not be too hard,” Clank teased, laughing.  
Ratchet unplugged the console and left the workshop. He took a deep breath as he stood outside the front door.  
“Remember. If you need to come back to the workshop at any time, we will do so. Do not be afraid of how you feel.”  
Ratchet nodded and opened the door.

***

“Ratchet? Ratchet, are you awake?”  
“Hmm?” Ratchet was suddenly aware of the sunlight. He pulled the blanket off himself, looking around the workshop, then to the floor at Clank.  
“I am sorry. I would not have woken you unless-”  
Ratchet’s eyes widened. “Oh no. Is something wrong?”  
“No, nothing is wrong. It is almost midday, and I wanted to make sure you ate something.” Clank smiled. “Also, I have finished correcting the plans. We can start rebuilding the hoverbike.”  
Ratchet relaxed, smiling slightly. “Nice going, Clank. Alright, let’s do it.”  
“Breakfast first,” Clank said. “Then we’ll start building.”  
“I’m not that hungry,” Ratchet mused, knowing full well that Clank wouldn’t give up until he’d eaten. He got out of bed and pulled a protein bar out of the mini-fridge. “I’ll just have one of these for now. I could use some coffee though.”  
“I will go inside and start the coffee maker. You look over the plans.”

Everything was pretty straightforward. Clank had made several good corrections and modifications. Ratchet’s head still felt a little fuzzy, but he figured building would be easier than writing. And besides, Clank was there to help him. Thinking that thought relaxed him a little. Clank _was_ there to help him. Ratchet stood up and tossed the protein bar wrapper into the trash before changing the sofa-bed back to its sofa setting. He laid back down on the sofa, crossing his legs and looking over the plans again, trying to familiarize himself with the first section.   
Clank walked in. “The coffee is on. I am ready.”  
“Great. Good job on the plans.”  
“Thank you. I am glad we can start building now.”  
“Me too.” Ratchet got off the sofa and headed outside. “Okay. Here goes nothing.” He knelt down in front of the hoverbike. Time to begin disassembling. Trying to concentrate in part on his breathing, he started slowly removing the outer parts. It wasn’t long before he fell into a rhythm. It startled him a little when Clank handed him a mug full of coffee. “Thanks, pal.”  
“How are you doing?”  
“Good.” Ratchet sipped the coffee. “I’m partway there.”  
“I will take over for a few minutes. You take it slow.”  
Ratchet nodded and crossed his legs, watching as Clank disassembled the next section. The small robot fell in the same rhythm he had. Removing one part, cleaning debris off, placing it with its intended section. Removing it, cleaning it, organizing it. Remove, clean, organize. Remove, clean…organize. Remove…clean…organize….

“Ratchet!”  
Startled, Ratchet accidentally kicked the empty mug over. His heart was racing and he was breathing hard.  
“Are you alright?”  
“I-I think so.”  
“You were in distress. Was it another bad dream?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Do not worry. Sit and collect yourself. Then you can help me finish the disassembly.”  
Ratchet waited until he stopped shaking. “Clank? I have to ask you something.”  
“Yes, Ratchet?”  
“When you found me in the living room…how did you know?”  
Clank stopped working and looked at Ratchet. “I knew you needed space. I stayed nearby.”  
Ratchet looked at the ground for a few seconds.   
“I wanted you to know you could always talk to me when you were ready.” Clank looked sad. “But I did not know how to tell you.”  
Ratchet smiled at his friend. “Thanks, Clank. I….” His face fell. “I really am happy you’re here. I know I don’t always show it.”  
Clank held Ratchet’s gaze. “We are both doing our best. That is what matters.”

***

Ratchet opened his eyes, almost rolling off the sofa. Clank was still at the desk, looking at something on the tablet. The sun was about to set. Probably now was the best time to head out. There would be less of a crowd, and they could pick up tonight’s dinner. “Hey, Clank.”  
Clank looked over. “Did you have a nice nap?”  
“Yeah.”  
Clank put the tablet down and walked over to Ratchet. “Are you still up for shopping?”  
It had been four days in the making. The bike was finally finished, and it was a warm, midweek night. Now, or never. Part of Ratchet wasn’t ready to leave the calming familiarity of the workshop, but part of him knew he had to do it eventually. “I think so. But I’m really gonna need your help.”  
Clank smiled. “I have already made a list.” He handed Ratchet the tablet.  
Ratchet looked it over and smiled. “Hey, you forgot the snacks. I see you remembered the vegetables though.”  
“Yes. And Ratchet?” Clank looked stern. “Fries do not count as vegetables.”  
Ratchet laughed softly, and shrugged.  
“Come on,” Clank said, hopping onto Ratchet’s back. “I am behind you all the way.”  
Ratchet took a deep breath and left the workshop. He attached the storage container to the back, climbed on, and drove off.

The store was pretty quiet. Still, there were several people around. Ratchet could feel their excited gazes and hear their whispers about him and Clank. He tried to focus on the shopping.  
“Next is…cookies?” Clank read over the list again. “I see you have made changes while I was obtaining the food on the high shelves.”  
Ratchet smirked. He picked up a box of cookies. “Okay, what’s next?”  
A kid fell down in front of Ratchet. “Oof!”   
“Woah!” Ratchet helped the kid up. “You okay?”  
“I saw you and I got reeeeeally excited! Can I have your autographs? Pleeeease?”  
Ratchet smiled gently. “Of course.”  
Clank hopped down from the edge of the cart.  
“That was awesome when you blowed up Dr. Nefarious and the bio-obliterator thingy!” The kid hopped up and down as Ratchet and Clank signed the notebook. “My mommy saw it! He was all like phwooooo!”  
Ratchet felt his heart rate speed up, but calmly handed the notebook back to the kid.  
“Thank you!” the kid shouted, running off.  
Ratchet released a breath. “Okay, which aisle now?”  
“The back of the store,” Clank said. “We need milk.”  
“Right.”

Things didn’t slow down. The duo had three more autograph requests before they reached the back of the store. Ratchet was starting to feel a little weird, but they were almost done. It wouldn’t make sense to abandon the trip now.  
“Last few items,” Clank said. “How are you doing?”  
“I’m okay,” Ratchet said, trying to sound convincing.  
“We are nearly finished. Just hang in there.”  
Ratchet nodded. It was no use pretending, Clank could see right through him. He hoped he’d make it out unscathed.  
“Hey, look!” someone shouted. “It’s Ratchet and Clank!”  
Oh no. Ratchet’s stomach tightened as a small crowd came running over. They all looked a little drunk, and they were loud.  
“Can we have your autographs, man?!”  
“I’ve watched Secret Agent Clank like twenty times!”  
“You guys are awesome!”  
Ratchet forced a smile and signed some autographs. He wished his heart wasn’t starting to pound out of his chest.  
“Now, if you do not mind–” Clank said, handing them their books back, “—we must get on with our shopping.”  
“Wait! Say the line! The one with from the episode with the clock tower!”  
“Oh.” Clank paused for a second, then struck an action pose. “Looks like your _time_ is up.”  
The group laughed.  
“Classic!” said one of them. “Thanks, guys!”   
The group left to, rather loudly, raid the candy aisle.  
“Let’s go,” Ratchet said. He was starting to feel dizzy. “I need some air.”  
Clank hopped back up onto the cart.

They loaded the groceries on the back of the bike. Ratchet sped off, forgetting to do a safety check. But something was wrong. They were going too fast, but he couldn’t slow down. Everything was starting to blur. He was breathing, but he couldn’t get enough air. Was something behind him? Was someone following him?!  
“Ratchet, pull over!”  
Startled, Ratchet stopped next to a large building. He gasped for air, bringing his hands to the side of his head.  
“I am here,” Clank said, hopping off Ratchet’s harness and standing on the bike’s handlebars. “I am here. You are safe.”  
Ratchet’s heart was racing. He was shaking. There was a burning knot in his stomach and a painful tightness in his chest. He felt like throwing up and passing out at the same time. But he couldn’t move. He couldn’t do anything. He still felt like someone was chasing them and would catch up to them if they didn’t get going. Why couldn’t he move?! He had to get away, why couldn’t he move?! His chest hurt so much. Was his heart even beating anymore? Was he breathing? Was…he going to die, right here?  
“Ratchet, try and listen. Listen to the city.”  
Ratchet stared frantically ahead.  
“Please try and listen. It will help.”  
Ratchet closed his eyes and did as Clank suggested. Hovercars and hoverbikes sped by. There were people talking, shouting, honking their horns. There were several different radio stations blaring in the distance. It wasn’t getting better! Ratchet’s chest still ached. He couldn’t breathe.   
“Listen to me now. You are not in danger. I am right in front of you, and we are not leaving until your panic attack ceases.”  
Ratchet’s stomach dropped. A panic attack? That’s what was happening? Why did it feel like he was dying?! What more could go wrong with him?!  
“Come down from the bike and look at me.”  
It was hard to move because his whole body felt tight. But Ratchet eased himself down from the bike and sat against the building, bringing his knees to his chest.   
“Good.” Clank stood in front of Ratchet. “Keep your eyes on me. Is there anything you need right now?”  
Ratchet tried to speak, but his mouth felt dry. His heart was still racing, and he couldn’t stop shaking. But he could see straight again, even if everything except Clank was an enormous blur. He shook his head lightly.  
“Deep breaths, Ratchet. Deep breaths.” Clank sat down. “In for five seconds on my mark. One…two…three…four…five. Out for five seconds on my mark. One…two…three…four…five. In for five seconds on my mark. One…two…three….”  
Soon, Ratchet’s chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. Soon, the world was no longer spinning. Soon, his heart was beating at a normal rate, and his chest didn’t hurt. And in not much time at all, they were back on the bike headed home.

“Leave the unpacking to me,” Clank said. “You must lie down.”  
Ratchet nodded. As he headed to the workshop, he felt strangely light. As if he were floating. Something told him he wouldn’t dream tonight. Something told him he would pass out easily and not wake up until morning. As he laid down in the sofa bed, as Clank finally entered the workshop and laid down next to him, something told him…not to worry anymore.  
  


***

Warm, gentle sunlight hit Ratchet’s face as he placed the welder on the floor and stretched. He looked around. Clank was still absorbed in the holoschematics he had been studying. It had to be midday by now. The discomfort in Ratchet’s back sure made him think so. Maybe Clank was right about him sitting on the floor too much. He’d been doing it excessively for a week now. The only problem was, it was easier to do some things on the floor. Ratchet stood up and looked out the window. The sun was high, Kerwan was bustling, as usual. Any minute now, Clank would tell him to get some fresh air. Ratchet wanted to leave the property again, but they were always being recognized. Everyone wanted to talk about their latest adventure or get an autograph. And he appreciated the fans, he really did. But sometimes being surrounded like that…. Ratchet shook his head, and snapped himself out of that train of thought, turning away from the window. His eyes fell on a picture hanging on the wall. One he and Clank had taken together back on Veldin. It only confirmed what he’d been thinking for the last few days. The one thing he hadn’t told Clank.

“I think I know what to do.”  
Clank looked up from the schematics. “About the holovision?”  
Ratchet smirked and leaned against the wall. “Unfortunately, no. But I do know what to do about…everything else.”  
“Oh?”  
“Yeah. This is gonna sound weird, but I think….” Ratchet trailed off.  
Clank got off the sofa and approached Ratchet. “You can tell me anything.”  
“I think…we need to go back to Veldin.”  
“Veldin? Hmm.” Clank tipped his head to one side. “We have not been back in several years.”  
“I know. Veldin is out of the way. We won’t be bothered by anyone, and we won’t be dragged into another adventure so soon.”  
“What would we do during a vacation on Veldin?”  
“Well…I’m not sure a vacation is what I need. I’ve been thinking about this for a bit. I thought it would be better if we came back to our normal lives, but it’s not enough. I just want things back to the way they were, and I don’t know if that’s wrong or not, but every time I think about doing hero work, I….” Ratchet instinctively clutched his stomach. “I think it’s time to retire. I don’t know for sure, I just need…. I’d feel better if we weren’t surrounded. And on Veldin, we wouldn’t be. I want to go home, Clank.”  
“I understand.”  
“I’m not saying we should decide now, I just want to think about it.”  
Clank hovered up to the desk. “What would you propose we do on Veldin?”  
Ratchet smiled at Clank, relieved. “How does a garage sound? Smaller than my old one. We can do repairs, invent things….”  
“It sounds good to me.”  
“We wouldn’t need to bring everything right away, just the important stuff.” Ratchet sat down at the desk and started making a list. “I’m sure we’ll get plenty of customers in time. We can do some advertising on the radio or whatever, but we’ll have to downsize a bit.”  
“When would we be making our move?”  
“I don’t know. Soon.” Ratchet smiled again as he read over his notes. “Should we build the garage ourselves?”  
“If you promise to look at the holoplans this time.”  
Ratchet laughed.  
Clank smiled up at him. “It is good to hear you laughing again.”  
“I just remembered what happened the last time. Building this workshop.”  
“Which incident are you referring to?”  
“When I cut the sheet metal wrong. And one wall was taller than the other.”  
“What about the hole you burned through the floor?”  
Ratchet leaned back and crossed his arms, still smiling. “Hey, you know the pizza guy distracted me!”  
“I am going to make sure you stop and eat regularly so you do not become that hungry again.”  
Ratchet put down the pencil and smiled at Clank. “Always looking out for me. Thank you, Clank.”

***

**One Month Later…**

Warm wind blew through Ratchet’s fur as he breathed slow, deep breaths. The air smelled good, no pollution, no nearby restaurants. And it was quiet. So quiet. But for once, Ratchet didn’t mind. The security of knowing he was back on Veldin, and that Clank was on Veldin with him, was enough for him. The simplicity of building their new home helped him trudge through the rough time. It had been a long day full of thinking, planning, and building. Laying on his back, he felt the ground underneath him. He listened to the sounds of the wind, and the distant sand toads scavenging for dinner. Ratchet was tired…but it was a good tired. It had been a long time since it had been a good tired.

“It is hot,” Clank said as he approached. “You must have something to drink.”  
“Mmm.” Ratchet opened his eyes and sat up.  
“Oh, I am sorry.” Clank sat down next to Ratchet. “Were you asleep?”  
“No, just thinking.” Ratchet turned around, looking at the first parts of their building. “I’m really glad we did this.”  
“It is certainly strange being back on Veldin. But it is quiet, and I do enjoy that. How are you feeling?”  
“Better. I think. How about you?”  
“I am adjusting.”  
Ratchet leaned against the cooler and looked at the starry sky. “I keep thinking about how we met.” He laughed softly. “I was pretty hopeless without your robotic ignition system.”  
Clank smiled. “And I was quite hopeless without your ship.”  
“I think we would have been kinda hopeless on a lot of our adventures if we didn’t have each other’s backs.” Ratchet got up and dug around in the cooler for a drink. “It’s crazy. That we met at all I mean. Did Orvus want you on Solana because I was sent here?”  
“I do not know. The Zoni are strange and mysterious creatures. I suppose he could have known. Or maybe it was the universe that brought us together.”  
“Maybe.” Ratchet opened a bottle of soda and chugged half of it in one go. “Can you start cleaning up? I gotta order the food.”  
“I am happy to assist.”  
Ratchet smiled and went into the large tent. He dropped down onto the floor mattress and searched their digital map for the nearest pizza place. There was much less choice than on Kerwan, but he wouldn’t have had it any other way. How much should he order? It might be a while before they could go shopping for food. Although Clank probably wouldn’t approve of him eating pizza and protein bars all week, it would certainly be easier to keep those in the mini-fridge for the time being. Maybe he could just go night by night, see how-

Clatter.

Ratchet's ears perked up. He pushed himself off the mattress and looked around. Alister's wrench had fallen over. Ratchet put the tablet down on the mattress and picked the wrench up. The feeling was sudden, and unexpected. He felt his throat and chest tighten, and while he knew that it was normal, it was terribly inconvenient. He steadied the wrench, trying to get it to stay upright against the tent wall. Then he sat on the floor, his back against the fridge, and opened the pocket watch. Staring at the two happy lombaxes in the picture, Ratchet remembered what Alister had said to him as he flew through space in the Aphelion…that he’d have a family now. Ratchet closed his eyes and placed the watch at his side. Fighting for the universe…fighting to keep Alister away from the clock…it felt like nothing would ever be okay again. But the elder lombax had been right about one thing. Even though it wasn’t on Fastoon, or in the other dimension, Ratchet _did_ have a family…and he wished Alister was there to be part of it. Ratchet _missed him_ …so much. Thinking about it pushed him over the edge. He curled himself up, starting to cry. 

“Ratchet, are you planning to leave all the clean-up to me?” Clank walked in, stopping in the doorway. “Oh. I am sorry, Ratchet. I…did not realize.”  
“I-I’m fine, I…” Ratchet drew in a shuddery breath and uncurled himself, rubbing his eyes. “I, uh….”   
Clank sat next to Ratchet. “Remember, this is normal,” he said gently, placing his hand on Ratchet’s side. “Just because we are on Veldin now does not mean it will end immediately. I am here for you, whatever you need.”  
Ratchet nodded. It had never occurred to him before, but if Clank had decided to stay behind and be the Senior Caretaker of the Clock, everything would have been terrible. But Clank was _there_ , by Ratchet’s side through everything.   
Slowly, Clank leaned into Ratchet.  
Once again, Ratchet’s body and mind had been relaxed. When he opened his eyes, the soft lighting felt welcoming. A state of calmness overcame him. He was through crying, maybe not for good, but at least for now.   
“You look tired.” Clank stood up. “Try and relax now.”  
Ratchet remembered the unfinished order and went to grab the tablet.   
Clank sat on the bed, leaning against the pillow and looking at Ratchet’s garage blueprints stuck to the tent wall in front of them. “I like your idea.”  
Ratchet looked at Clank.  
“Putting our living space above the garage will give us a nice view of the sky.”  
Ratchet smiled and finished the order. “I’ve always liked being high up.” He left the tablet and sat down next to Clank. 

They sat in silence, staring at the blueprint.

A horn beeped from outside. Ratchet smiled at Clank, stood up, and opened the tent.

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work of fanfiction using characters from Ratchet and Clank, which is trademarked by Sony/Insomniac Games.


End file.
